The Dichotomy of College Life

College is weird sometimes. It’s really one of those periods of life that you’ll look back on someday and say, ‘I really did that?’ It’s sort of a strange transitional period in most of our lives, when we’re living away from home for the first time and learning how to do our laundry and sometimes cook our own meals, but it’s also a time of self-discovery when we’re really becoming who we want to be and achieving a high level of mastery at the topics that have always piqued our interest.  

So, college is a dichotomy, and here’s why.  

You’re smart, but you’re not that smart 

Yes, you know a lot of things. But you don’t know all the things. In fact, none of us will never know all the things; only God will. And with how much college is cramming into our brains from every direction all the time, it seems like there must be a limit to all this amazing knowledge. That’s the thing – there really isn’t! If college makes you feel profoundly intelligent and profoundly ignorant at the same time, you’re not alone!  

You’re independent, but not quite totally independent 

For most of us, college is the first time we’ve been away from home and our parents for such a long time. That can provide a big feeling of independence. No longer do you have to listen to anyone else when it comes to deciding when to eat, when to go to bed, and when to do your homework. Of course, however, with great power comes great responsibility. College also means...choosing when to eat, choosing when to go to bed, and choosing when to do your homework. It’s a lot sometimes! Plus, you still have professors who tell you what to work on, parents who are keeping you accountable – from afar – and friends, extracurriculars, and work to fit into your schedule. Even with all that independence, college also means continuing to be responsible.  

You’re in school, but it’s different than high school 

College means there’s little distinction between “school” and “home.” In high school, most of us left the house during the day to attend school and came back home every night. There was a clear boundary between where school stopped and home began. At college, it’s...kind of the same place for both. In that way, college is school, but it’s not like any school that most students have attended before. It’s also a place where life happens, your friends can live a few doors down from you, and, particularly at Concordia, it’s pretty likely that you’re going to see some of your professors at church.  

You’re on your own, but you’re never really on your own 

Yes, you may be hundreds of miles away from your parents, but they’re still there. And that’s not all – sure, you are independent (as I’ve previously mentioned), but you’re literally always surrounded by people. Whether you’re in class, eating dinner, or just hanging out in the library, you’re never alone in college. There’s probably even another person in your room when you’re sleeping...weird.  

You’re an adult, but you’re also so not an adult 

You’re considering graduate school! You’re looking at job postings! You’re doing independent research, or writing a novel, or something like that! But sometimes you also call your mom when you’re not sure which temperature to put your load of laundry on. And you are a little scared to go pick up a prescription by yourself. Also, you don’t really know how taxes and insurance work...yet. And that’s okay! That’s what your parents, professors, and other “real” adults are there for. They’ll kick you out into the big scary world for real when it’s time...but now is not that time. 

So, college is pretty much the best of both worlds. And by the best of both worlds, I mean that your life might seem extremely contradictory sometimes. But it’s okay. Because as long as you have some freedom and independence while also having a healthy amount of protection, you can just vibe in the weird limbo that is college life for a little while.  

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